Shoshana Bean sang Streisand at Upright Cabaret’s Wicked Summer Nights opening concert, but her own magnetism drove the evening. Our first view of Shoshana was an ethereal one, as she opened with “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” while standing part way up the garden hillside setting behind the Ford stage. It may have been a Streisand song and arrangement but the soulful vocal left no doubt that this happening was definitely Shoshana’s. A jazzy “Down with Love” was followed by a touching “You’ll Never Know,” sung to her dog Mimi, as they sat on a sofa. Mimi’s yawn during the song was certainly the only one at the Ford that night, however.

Shoshana wisely put Streisand’s blockbuster hits in a medley and effectively paired “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and “Before the Parade Passes By.”  Sultry Shoshana shined on “Cry Me a River” and presented a commentary on the times with “Second Hand Rose,” “Give Me the Simple Life,” “I Got Plenty of Nothin’,”  “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” and “The Best Things in Life are Free.”

The show’s second act featured contemporary material from Shoshana’s new CD Superhero. Musical direction was handled by Gerald Sternbach in the first half and Matt Cusson in the second, with Billy Porter’s brilliant direction shaping the whole evening.

Les Traub
Cabaret Scenes
June 11, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org